pages

Friday, March 21, 2008

Jour du Macaron 2008 part 2

Vienna for Beginners said...Free food for our starving artist!What more can you wish for? Did you manage to get a second helping? Well a girl has to do her research doesn't she?

Yes, I admit it. I went to Pierre Herme's other boutiqueon 185, rue Vaugiraud to report on the JOUR DU MACARON goings ons. Here I'm checking my watch. How long will the wait be? Not long but the tension is palpable!

We even had a traffic director at the door.Inside, it looked like pandimonium.

It wasn't. Perfect order. You even got a list of all the flavors to help you make your choice.Young people, old people, chic people. Everyone was there to taste the free cookies - sweet!The prize, plus a ribbon to wear for La federation des Maladies Orphelines.Admiring glances from the street.

Back outside the kids, tons of students wait excitedly.The happy faces tell the story.

ARNAUD LARHER's patisserie was also participating JOUR DU MACARON, on 53, rue Caulaincourt in the 18th. Beautiful bins of macs filled the windows.A rainbow of colors.The tasting or degustation at ARNAUD LARHER. Just me and 2 students, gobbling up delicious samples.

There is something genuinely heartfelt about Pierre Herme sharing his incredible goodies with all the world who come to his door on one day a year. True, it's for a very good cause, but the generosity of heart and thought is touching - a giving back to the people..

It really IS nice that they do that. I know they benefit from all the publicity, too, but it's still great they help out. I love the photos of the folks you got, Carol. Great color. Wish I had one right about now!...sue

The lady with the cane really touched my heart. What spirit for a woman of a certain age to stand in line with all those young people clamouring for a few macarons. I wonder what else she ate that day. She may well be the one who will remember those macarons as a gift from heaven.

Ha! You tried to blind us with all those glorious macarons, but I SEE that fantastic bracelet!!! Now the score is 2 : 0 , your Pylones and your dice! Perhaps a jewelry retrospective is in order....after you're back in boring old New York.

I concurr with Merisi...The old lady going off with her free macarons - what a treat for her!And the glee on the kids faces as they wait expectantly...It's not about the delicious macarons.It's about giving.THAT'S the story!

For the World Gourmet Summit this year, the great man himself, Pierre Herme will be in Singapore in early April to present a dessert dinner AND give a cooking masterclass. Not sure if he'll present his famous Ispahan though. I'm soooo tempted to get a ticket for the event and maybe meet this demi-god.

ParisBreakfast Letters

♥carol gillott♥

l'Ile Saint Louis, Paris, Ile de France, France

Hi I'm Carol Gillott,
My Mom taught me watercolors at 5. I'm still at it, now tripping over cobblestones, living in a 6th-floor garret on l'Ile Saint-Louis, Paris. Savor Parisbreakfast with a hot chocolate and croissant.
I paint Paris dreams.